490 CLXT. TYPHAOK^. (J. D. Hooker.) ISparganium. 



Perianth of 3-6 membranous scales. Stamens 2-3, connective hardly pro- 

 duced at the tip. Ova/ry 1- rarely 2-celled ; style very short, persistent, 

 stigma unilateral ; cells 1-seeded. Brwpes obovoid, spongy ; endoearp 

 bony, tip perforated. Seed adherent to the endoearp. — Species about 6. 



1. S> ramosum, Kuds. Fl. Angl. 401 ; erect, leafy, leaves linear 

 triquetrous at the base, heads sessile on the branches of a panicle, drupes 

 sessile shortly beaked. Kuntli Snum. iii. 89 ; Boiss. Fl. Orient, v. 48. S. 

 erectum, Kurz in Jowrn. Bot. v. (1867) 96. S. stolonifernm, Sam. in Wall. 

 Cat. 4990. S. carinatum, Sam. ex Royle III. 408. 



NoETH West India; from the plains to 5200 ft. in Kashmir. Bxjbma, Griffith. 

 — DiSTEiB. N. temp, regions. 



Stems 1-4 ft. Leaves 2-5 ft., 1 in. broad or less ; margins concave. Male 

 Tieads olive-brown, ^— | in. diam., deciduous ; fern. 1 in. diam. in frt. j scales linear, 

 tips spathulate. Drupe i in. long, angled ,- stigma linear. 



2. S. simplex, Suds. Fl. Angl. 401 ; erect, leafy, leaves linear tri- 

 quetrous at the base rarely floating, fern, heads racemose, male spioate, 

 drupe shortly stipitate long-beaked. Kunth Enum. iii. 89 ; Boiss. Fl. 

 Orient, v. 48. S. erectum, var. ^ Linn. Sp. Fl. 971 ; Kurz in joum. Bot. v. 

 (1867) 96. 



SiKKiM HiMAiAYA, alt. 7-9O0O ft., J.B.S. Khasia Hills, alt. 5-6000 ft., 

 Griffith, &c. BuBMA, Griffith. — Disteib. N. temp, regions. 



Stem 1-2 ft. Leaves narrower than in S. ramoswm, margins flat. Male heads 

 yellow. Scales linear-oblong, tips toothed. Drupes fusiform, simple linear. 



Order CLXVI. AROXOEH:. 



Perennial herbs with radical leaves, or scandent shrubs. Leaves 

 alternate. Flowers 1-2-sexnal, sessile on a spadix which is more or less 

 enclosed in a green or coloured spathe ; if unisexual the males usually 

 towards the apex and fern, at the base of the spadix, with often neuters 

 between them and above the males ; perianth or of scales. Anthers 2—4- 

 celled, dehiscence dorsal or by pores; pollen various. Ovary sessile, 

 1-3-celled, style short or long, stigma discoid or lobed; ovules 1 or 

 more, variously inserted. Fruit baccate. Seeds 1 or few, rarely many, 

 often imbedded in pulp ; testa various ; albumen or copious ; embryo 

 axile, or in exalbuminous genera, thick with the plumule in a lateral 

 slit. — Grenera about 100, species about 1000, for the most part tropical. 



I am indebted to the studies of Mr. N. E. Brown for valuable notes on many of 

 the Indian species entered in the Kew Herbarium, and for aid in the preparation of 

 the following descriptions : — 



Sbkies a. Mowers moncecious (rarely dioecious in Arisxma). 

 Perianth 0. 



Tribe I. AniNBiE. Spadix with a flowerless top (appendage) or in 

 Pistia and Oryptocoryne. Stamens free; anther-cells larger than their con- 

 nective. Fern. fl. Staminodes 0. Ovary 1-celled, ovules orthotropous. 

 Submerged or marsh herbs. Ovaries in one whorl . 1. Cryptocoetnb. 



Marsh herbs. Ovaries spirally disposed 2. Laoenandba. 



Floating stemless herb 3. Pistia. 



Terrestrial tuberous herbs : 



Leaves compound ; ovules basal 4. Aeisjema. 



Leaves pedatipartite, appearing after the flowering; 

 ovules basal 5. Saueomatum. 



